Cody Gakpo sends Arne Slot a message as Liverpool’s away form continues against Brighton

Dutch manager lauds striker after impressive brace ensures Merseyside club edge win at Brighton

For Liverpool and Arne Slot, the road trip goes on. This win at Brighton was their seventh win in eight unbeaten away games in all competitions this season. Not that the manager was getting carried away.
“It has only been eight games,” he said, after his side had registered a 3-2 victory against a determined, effortful Brighton side. “But yes, it is a very good start away from home.”
Indeed for the Liverpool manager this was as ideal a midweek cup tie as could have been conjured up. It gave his fringe players a run out, it allowed him to try out a couple of tactical ideas, and in particular it gave Cody Gakpo the opportunity to remind his manager that he should be playing every week.
His two goals early in the second half were the mark of a player thoroughly enjoying himself. Crisp, clean, efficient, they were everything a striker craves.
“Cody has been a good player for Liverpool for a long time – that is a good thing for me,” said Slot of his forward’s contribution. “For me he is a regular, even if he does not start every game.”
In truth both managers had begun the game recognising that the Carabao Cup’s principal purpose is to give opportunity to fringe players.
With a bench loaded with regulars, Liverpool’s shirt numbers, to quote the old Danny Baker joke, looked like the menu at a Chinese takeaway. Jarrell Quansah was 78, Tyler Morton 80 and Conor Bradley 84. The manager had also given a first start to his third choice keeper Vitezslav Jaros.
In front of him, there was clearly a tactical experiment being carried out. Slot started with not one but two false number nines. Dominik Szoboszlai began as his most advanced player in the middle, with Curtis Jones just behind him and Diaz and Gakpo on the flanks.
“I prefer to play with a number nine, but if they are none available then this was the result we tried to come up with. Yes, [Darwen] Nunez was on the bench. But we have to be careful with him not to start three games in a row.”
Brighton, like Liverpool with their bench full of the first-team cavalry ready to come on should the need arise, had a string of irregulars in action. And frankly, it showed. The first half was a stale, flat, uneventful going through the motions. The second half, however, was a very different affair.
Perhaps sensing that their moment was slipping from them, the fringe players suddenly seemed to wake up. Gakpo almost immediately smacked a fierce shot beyond Jason Steele, celebrating his strike by standing still as if it happened to him all the time.
STUNNING HIT FROM CODY GAKPO! 🔥Liverpool break the deadlock at Brighton with a fantastic goal 🔴 pic.twitter.com/fi14fofYhT
Brighton demonstrated their collective spirit by quickly hitting back. Tariq Lamptey belted down the wing, beat two Liverpool defenders and crossed for Simon Adingra, who, unattended by any defender, placed a smart header apparently into the corner of the goal. Jaros, however, had other ideas. He arced his back and somehow pushed it on to the post. In the technical area his manager applauded with warm admiration.
“Everybody could see how important his saves were,” said Slot. “But also added to that was how comfortable he was with the ball at his feet. I was very pleased with him.”
Whatever Jaros could do, Steele could match, obliged to rescue his team when Lamptey slipped trying to pick up a clearance from a Brighton corner, allowing Diaz and Gakpo to advance unchallenged at goal. But Steele somehow got in the way of Diaz’s shot.
The relief in the crowd did not last long. Gakpo took advantage of another howler from Lamptey, piled forward and hammered a second fine finish beyond the keeper.
GAKPO SCORES AGAIN! 🇳🇱Liverpool double their lead at Brighton 🔴 pic.twitter.com/fhVNf0ABi4
Slot then sent on Nunez, Mohamed Salah and Alexis Mac Allister – who received a warm reception from his former supporters in the home crowd – as if to show he was not messing around.
Fabian Hurzeler tried to respond, sending on Kaoro Mitoma and Danny Welbeck. And indeed, almost immediately Brighton snaffled a goal. Jaros parried Ferguson’s shot and Adingra slotted the ball home.
And when Lamptey redeemed himself with a second, soon after Diaz had danced through the home defence to score a third, seemingly to put the tie to bed, for a moment it looked as if Brighton might pull things round.
But Liverpool were way too smart to let this opportunity to advance go to waste. And that away record Slot is constructing grows ever more substantial.